Ballot creation underway for September byelection

Elections Saskatchewan working to finish 20,000 by Aug. 31 advance voting

With the byelection for Saskatoon Fairview right around the corner, the vital process of creating ballots got underway on Thursday morning.

Elections Saskatchewan is working with Linda’s Printing Place to prepare the ballots for the election. Elections Saskatchewan spokesman Tim Kydd said it’s similar to the process for the general election in most ways, except for the scale.

“A general election in Saskatchewan is basically 61 byelections,” Kydd said. “So everything that goes into the Saskatoon Fairview byelection you do 61 times in a general election ... but a byelection, the same kind of work goes into it.”

The thousands of ballots are carefully regulated in terms of font, printing size, order of names on the card, and more — all based on provincial legislation.

The byelection was called after the previous MLA, Jennifer Campeau, resigned from her position in June to pursue another job in British Columbia. Five candidates from major parties in Saskatchewan are running for the vacant position.

The byelection is scheduled for Sept. 7, with five days of advance voting from Aug. 31 to Sept. 5. Advance voting will not be available during Labour Day on Sept. 4.

The window for Elections Saskatchewan to handle a byelection is shorter than other types of elections. Kydd said after an MLA officially resigns, they have six months to arrange a byelection.

The time constraints are greatest during the next step. The byelection was announced on Aug. 11. With the deadline for nominations set on the afternoon of Aug. 22, that leaves just over a week to get 20,000 ballots printed and ready to go by the first day of advance voting on Aug. 31.

“You don’t get a lot of notice, most often, with a byelection compared

..The last general election, we knew when the date was months, even years in advance. With a byelection, they can come up rather quickly.

to a general election,” Kydd said. “The last general election, we knew when the date was months, even years in advance. With a byelection, they can come up rather quickly.”

The final count for the byelection is set for Sept. 19 to allow time for late and mail-in ballots, he said.

LIAM RICHARDS Gladys Olfert prints ballots for the upcoming Saskatoon Fairview byelection at Linda’s Printing on Thursday. Five candidates from major parties are running for the seat vacated in June by Jennifer Campeau, who left to take a job in British Columbia.